The present invention relates to a silo for storage and homogenization of powder-like materials, such as flour.
Powder-like commodities are often stored in silos of substantial size. The construction of such silos is known in the art. The known silos include an inlet for entry of the commodity into the silo and an outlet for discharge of the material from the silo to a user site. In order to facilitate the movement of the flowing material towards the outlet the silos may be provided with a cone located within the silo and upwardly spaced from the central outlet zone.
Cones of different structures are utilized in these silos. These cones, however, have certain disadvantages.
If the underside of the cone is closed the interior of the cone can not be used for storage of commodities contained in the silo. In case the underside of the cone is at least partially open, for example by arranging of a passage through said underside, the interior of the cone is available for storage of the powder-like material. In such case the silo is provided with a device for injecting air into the silo content and with a conduit for withdrawing air to provide aeration of the material contained in the silo.
The German Pat. Nos. 1,507,888 and 2,121,616 disclose the silo constructions where aerated air is withdrawn through a central ventilation tube which extends from the apex of the cone to the roof of the silo. In such constructions the forces exerted in the flowing material contained in the silo are incalculable in their magnitude and direction of action.
In the silos described in the German Pat. No. 2,539,753 the ventilation tube is mounted in the region of the peripheral wall of the silo. This structure requires a tunnel between the cone and the peripheral wall, which tunnel extends to the apex of the cone.
In the silo disclosed in the German published patent application No. 2,040,480, a discharging ventilation tube is arranged beneath the cone which is closed from above. This tube extends downwardly through the bottom wall of the silo and terminated in the area of a conveying device. In such construction, a significantly high portion of the commodity entering the conveying device remains uncontrolled.
The German Pat. Nos. 2,352,455 and 2,547,667 describe the silo arrangement where the interior of the cone is not used for storage of the commodity. The lower rim of this cone is provided with a discharging dosing passage through which the folowing material is discharged. However, in this case only a portion of the commodity flows through this passage, the remaining portion flows through individual outlets located outside of the cone.